


Freedom's Not So Free

by Batsutousai



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-10-01
Updated: 2005-01-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 06:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4468235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batsutousai/pseuds/Batsutousai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Defeating the Dark Lord was supposed to free the wizarding world. Defeating the Dark Lord was supposed to free the saviour. There's always a price, and someone's got to pay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: We Are

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in '04, I got an email from LJ the other day telling me that one [williamsnickers](http://williamsnickers.livejournal.com/) had tagged me in a post, and I found a Harry/Lucius masterlist with this fic on it. williamsnickers only had the HPF link on their list, and while I went looking for other copies, I realised this was one of the handful of old HP fics I'd never posted to AO3, and I should...probably do that. Eventually.
> 
> So this is me, finally getting my arse in gear. This copy has been backdated to match the dates on FFN. Most of this fic was originally beta-read by my sister, but I've looked it back over before reposting to catch the minor errors she and I both missed back then.
> 
> Given the glory that is 8tracks, I've gone ahead and put up a fanmix there of the songs that I quoted in the start of each chapter. You can find the link to the fanmix [on my tumblr](http://batsutousai.tumblr.com/post/125516227619/listen-at-8tracks-download-from-dropbox-a) (with bonus download via Dropbox, if you're the sort who likes that thing).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _'You keep watching from your picket fence_   
>  _You keep talking but it makes no sense_   
>  _You say we're not responsible_   
>  _But we are, we are_   
>  _You wash your hands and come out clean_   
>  _Fail to recognize the enemies within_   
>  _You say we're not responsible_   
>  _But we are, we are…_
> 
>  
> 
> **-chorus of "We Are"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opening this chapter is the book cover I did for this fic, which I feel is rather plain, but I was feeling uninspired. (I like the fanmix cover better, but I didn't feel like mucking about with making that image the proper dimensions. So.)

-oOo-

He stared down at the body at his feet, disbelieving. All those years. All those deaths. Everything. For naught.

The dagger bloomed from the monster's chest. Blood ran like a river from the wound.

And still, he stared.

They found him like that. Staring…

…and they hated him…

-0-

The trial was quick. He didn't even bother trying to defend himself. They were deaf to his words. They were always deaf when it came to him.

He looked over the audience of the trial. Dead. All dead. His friends… His family… His enemies… No one was left.

His fault.

He bowed his head and let them lead him out quietly.

-0-

He stared out the window. The mainland was too far away to see, but he still tried, occasionally. It was nice, sometimes, to remember that place. Bushy-haired girls, red-haired boys with freckles, silver eyes that screamed arrogance, black eyes that spoke hate…

They lived only in memories. His memories.

He was trapped with memories…

…and he hated every moment of it.

-0-

"Harry?"

He looked up into orbs of amber and blinked slowly at the man. "Remus." His voice was cracked and dry. Hoarse. He didn't use it any more. What use was there?

"Harry, I've come to get you out of here. The Ministry freed you."

"Free?" Disbelief.

"Yes, Harry. You're free." The barred door opened and the amber eyes smiled brightly.

He turned back to his window. He could almost see the mainland again. "My wand…"

"It was snapped…"

"Yes."

"You have to…" The man paused.

"Tell me." He turned back to the amber eyes. Hated the sadness and pity, yet, revelled in it.

"You have to live as a Muggle, Harry. That was the condition to your freedom."

He shrugged and stood. "I don't care." The open door beckoned. The mainland was fading. A new one was coming into sight. A new world. He'd go there.

"Free…" His feet left his cage.

Amber eyes looked on, sad.

And he was free.

.


	2. One: In the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I tried so hard_   
>  _And got so far_   
>  _But in the end_   
>  _It doesn't even matter_   
>  _I had to fall_   
>  _And lose it all_   
>  _But in the end_   
>  _It doesn't even matter"_
> 
> **-from "In the End" by Linkin Park**

"God dammit!" Lysander Harry Evans glared as the city bus sped away down the street. The bus he needed to be on.

"Miss the bus _again_?"

Lysander turned his glare on a grinning woman who he worked with, Nixie Waldo, who had stopped her car at the light the bus stop was at. "Waldo, just shut up and unlock the door."

"Not if you're going to be like that!" Bright blue eyes laughed at the man.

Lysander's emerald eyes narrowed, filling with ice. "Waldo, this is not the morning to piss me off."

Nixie rolled her eyes and flipped the lock on the passenger side door. "Get in then," she ordered him. "And everyone knows no morning is the sort to piss you off."

Lysander slammed the door closed and locked the door before turning his anger towards the seat buckle. His morning had been simply dreadful, mostly due to his getting no sleep the night before. His past life haunted him most nights, and that night had been particularly bad. However, he knew better than to take out his anger on Nixie, as she could give as good as she got if he got too out of control.

Nixie and Lysander had known each other since they were in college. Lysander was at least ten years Nixie's senior, but they'd hit it off well enough at the campus, and then had even managed to get jobs at the same company. Nixie was probably the only one who could handle Lysander's mood swings. Even more, she was one of the few that could calm him down if he _really_ blew up.

However, Nixie couldn't, for the life of her, trace down anything about the past that had made Lysander not only temperamental as hell, but socially insecure, distrustful, cold, and just plain rude. The man gave away nothing, and all his files were incomplete. It was almost as if Lysander Evans didn't really exist.

 _Of course he exists!_ Nixie told herself angrily as the light changed. _He's sitting right next to me!_

-0-

"He looks like he's had another bad morning," Ward Harden, the front guard that morning, said to Nixie as Lysander stalked past them to the elevators.

"He missed the bus and woke up on the wrong side of the bed. _Again_." Nixie groaned. "I'll bet you can't imagine how much of an ass he is in the morning."

"I've seen him in the mornings, Nix."

"What, this?!" Nixie laugh humourlessly. "Ward, this is a walk in the park compared to him when he's _really_ pissed off!"

Ward nodded with a sigh. Lysander's temper was legendary. If the man wasn't so good at what he did, some sort of government work, they'd have tossed him years ago.

"Waldo! Get your ass over here before we're both late!" Lysander shouted from where he was holding the elevator for her.

"See you later, Ward," Nixie offered with a roll of her eyes.

Ward grinned and waved her off. "Have fun."

Nixie snorted and hurried to get to the elevator before Lysander let the doors close.

§ § § § §

Nixie glanced over at Lysander as she approached their boss' office. The older man was leaning against the wall coolly, watching everything around him with a detached expression.

"You called too?" Nixie asked quietly.

Lysander shrugged. "Yeah. He says he'll be with us in a moment."

Nixie sighed. She hated seeing Lysander detached like this. He acted like he didn't care about a thing in the world. _Of course,_ she reasoned, _anything's better than this morning. I hate the 'ice look'._

The door opened and their boss motioned them in. "Sit," he ordered as he closed the door behind them.

The two settled themselves in the chairs across from the boss' desk. The boss sat in his leather chair and gave them a serious look. "I have a job for you both."

"Both?" It was Nixie who asked this. Normally, only one person was sent on a "job" at a time. Occasionally, they'd have unknown back-up, but they never sent two at once.

"Yes, Waldo, both. I need to send you because this is your area of expertise. However, I believe Evans has the contacts you will need for the job."

Lysander's head shot up at that, eyes narrowed. "Specify, please," he said in a dangerous voice that would have gotten most people fired.

Their boss, however, was quite used to Lysander and his moods, had hired him for his unpredictability, in fact, and merely gave him a silencing look. "I was getting to that." He leaned back in his chair to better look at his two best employees. "I'm sending you overseas, to Scotland. There's a report of weird goings on up there and we've been ordered to check it out. Waldo, you deal well with the unexplained. Evans, you went to school in Scotland, if I'm not mistaken."

Lysander stiffened. "Yes," he said tightly.

Nixie gaped at Lysander. _He did?! I never knew that!_

"Do you still keep contact with people up there?"

"Sort of." Lysander looked to the far wall, his shields firmly in place, face a mask of nothingness.

"Good. Get into contact with them. See if you can find a place to stay out there."

Lysander snorted an agreement.

"Sir?" The boss turned to Nixie. "What exactly is unexplained, and where in Scotland is this?"

"Town I'm sure you've never heard of, I think it's called Hogsmeade–" Lysander let out a sharp hiss and attention returned to him. "Evans, do you know something about this?"

Lysander kept his eyes firmly on the far wall. "No."

The boss pursed his lips, but returned to explaining things to Nixie, knowing when Lysander wasn't going to respond to any questions asked. "There have been reports of random killings out there. Random, _unexplainable_ , killings."

"How do they die?" Lysander inquired, still facing the wall.

"As I said, it's random. Sometimes, it looks like vampires, sometimes wolves, once or twice, there was no identifiable cause."

"Vampires and wolves. Wonderful. Lunatics," Lysander said dryly. "Must we go?"

The boss shot the other man an angry look. "You will go, or you will find a new job."

Lysander turned empty eyes on his boss. "Perhaps I should start looking, eh?"

"Evans, you are not leaving, you are going on this job. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal." Lysander sneered, emerald eyes glittering dangerously. "Now, may I go inform my contact?"

"Yes. You'll be flying into the closest Scottish airport to the area. Tell your contact to meet you there."

"Understood." Lysander stood coldly and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Nixie groaned. "What is his problem this time?"

"From what I've heard, he had problems over in Europe that made him move here." The boss sighed, rubbing at his eyes tiredly.

Nixie pursed his lips. "Look, Boss, I understand that he'll be an asset for finding living spaces and all that, but I'll be in magical territory with a _muggle_! It'll be an absolute nightmare!"

"Waldo, I understand, but we both know you'll never get anywhere in Scotland without some direction, and Evans is all we've got. He's unconventional and probably has the most anti-magic mindset anyone here has, but he's also the only one who could help you find things in Scotland. I've been there only once, myself, and I would have been totally lost without the guide the British Ministry sent with me."

"Well, it's true that he knows Scotland best, but he knows _muggle_ Scotland, Boss! I'm going into magical territory! It's entirely different!"

"We don't have a choice. Anyway, he's heard the name Hogsmeade before, if his reaction was anything to go by. He might just get you there."

Nixie sighed and nodded. There wasn't anything else to be done.

-0-

"Remus."

 _"Harry?!"_ the happy voice called over the phone and Lysander winced.

"Rem, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Lysander?"

 _"Sorry, Ly, I keep forgetting,"_ Remus Lupin snorted over the phone, bringing the smallest of smiles to Lysander's gloomy expression.

"Whatever."

Remus laughed lightly. _"Alright, kid, what're you calling for?"_

Lysander ignored the "kid" reference and spoke seriously to his only contact in Europe. "Rem, I've just been sent out there to Scotland. Hogsmeade, in fact, to check out unexplainable killings?"

_"Oh. Yeah. The muggle government caught wind of that and immediately started sending people. It's been a nightmare."_

"What's the story?"

_"You want to come in prepared?"_

"I'm not coming in alone. I'm partnered on this one, so, yes, preparation would be bloody brilliant."

_"Temper, temper. One Severus Snape was enough."_

Lysander pursed his lips. "I'm waiting."

_"Death Eaters and some followers from the darker creatures."_

"I thought they'd all been wiped out after the Final Battle years ago!"

_"You're not the only one, trust me. The Ministry's going nuts. It's crazy. Hogsmeade trips have been suspended, from what I've heard from Ginevra Malfoy."_

"Lovely. The students must be throwing fits."

 _"Prank month beckons,"_ Remus agreed.

Lysander laughed.

There was a knock on the door and Nixie peeked her head in. "I haven't heard you laugh in years. What brought that on?"

Lysander sighed. "Come in, shut the door."

Nixie closed the door behind her and gave Lysander a questioning look. "Well?"

"Waldo, I'd like to introduce you to Remus Lupin," Lysander announced as he switched his call over to speaker. "Rem, this is my partner, Nixie Waldo. You'll need to find us a place to stay that's fairly close to this Hogsmeade place."

 _"Pleased to meet you, Ms Waldo,"_ Remus said pleasantly.

"Same here," Nixie replied faintly. _Lysander's contact is one of the war heroes?! And a werewolf activist to boot! Good Merlin!_

_"Well, Ly, I'll certainly look around. Would you two mind horribly if I find you a place **in** Hogsmeade? I hear they're pretty cheap these days."_

"We'd be close to the action," Nixie agreed sharply, blue eyes determined.

Lysander snorted. "Right. Vampires and wolves and deaths without causes. Action my arse."

Nixie rolled her eyes. "Lysander, you need to stop taking things at face value."

"Ha! Next thing, you'll be riding on broomsticks and poking each other with sticks that you insist on calling wands!"

 _"Ly, I love you dearly, but Ms Waldo is right. Tone it down,"_ Remus admonished.

Lysander snorted darkly, but shut up.

"Well, pleasant as it's been talking to you, Mr Lupin, Lysander and I have to set up a few things."

_"Of course. When will you two be coming in and where?"_

"Whatever that airport is over there," Lysander said flippantly.

_"Time?"_

"Tomorrow some time. We leave tonight," Nixie added.

"Tonight?!" Lysander gaped at the woman. "You're joking."

"Nope! I think the boss wants to give you as few chances to skip out as possible."

"Good Gods!"

Remus chuckled. _"I'll check up on the flights that are coming in from America and meet you there. Have a good flight, Ms Waldo, Ly."_

"See you in a day, Rem," Lysander agreed.

"Indeed, Mr Lupin." Nixie nodded.

The phone hung up and Lysander stared at Nixie over his desk. "Now what?"

"We have three hours. I'm driving us home, then to the airport. Let's hustle!"

Lysander groaned and dropped his head onto his desk as the woman left to pack her things. _Looks like I'm returning after all..._

.


	3. Two: Cries Too Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Torch the moon,_   
>  _Burn the schools,_   
>  _She wrote in red_   
>  _On her bedroom wall-_   
>  _'Nothing's Pure,'_   
>  _The paint runs to the floor_   
>  _She laughs too easily,_   
>  _And cries too hard_   
>  _Shouldn't drink alone,_   
>  _The colours run_   
>  _How can she forgive_   
>  _When we know well what we do?"_
> 
> **-from "Cries Too Hard" by The Whitlams**

"Oomph!" Remus glanced down at the mop of long black hair that was buried in his chest and hugged the man tightly. The young man had turned to Remus totally after his stay in Azkaban and the two had become closer than ever before.

"You must be Mr Lupin," a fair-haired woman said with a beautiful smile.

"And you must be Ms Waldo." Remus smiled, not letting go of Lysander until the man wanted it. Lysander was still so much a boy in so many ways, not that Remus minded. "But, please, call me Remus. We _will_ be living with each other for a while."

"Eh?!" Lysander pulled away quickly. "But I thought you were still living at Grimmauld Place!"

Remus nodded. "I am, but I think it's better if you two have a mediator between yourselves and the community of Hogsmeade while you're there, so I got permission to take over the Shrieking Shack."

"Uhg." Lysander made a face. "I hate that place Rem."

"Or so I've heard." The grey-haired man smiled at Nixie. "I've got us a taxi, but we'll have to walk for about the last mile, I'm afraid. They have rules against cars out there."

"Understandable." Nixie nodded. "And, please, call me Nixie, or Nix. As you said, we _will_ be living with each other for a while..."

Remus laughed. "Indeed." He gave them a once over. "Have everything? Yes? Good, let's head off!" He turned and led them quickly from the airport.

 _I never thought he'd move that fast!_ Nixie gasped to herself.

"Trouble, Waldo?" Lysander said teasingly.

"I just didn't expect Remus to move so fast," Nixie shot back.

Lysander shrugged. "Nope. Never Rem. He's one of the fastest people I know, or so I've been told."

"I heard that!" Remus called back.

Lysander sniggered evilly and Nixie finally got it, her face scrunching up in disgust. "Lysander, that's nasty."

Lysander smirked. "And don't I know it."

"Bastard."

"Thank you."

"Okay, shut up before I pop both of you over the head," Remus warned.

Both of them shut up, Lysander smirking, Nixie rolling her eyes.

 _This is going to be a long stay..._ Remus groaned.

-0-

"What a creepy place," Nixie said, staring at the Shrieking Shack with intense dislike.

Lysander smirked. "They say it's haunted, you know. Haunted by the ghosts of werewolves."

Nixie shot her partner a murderous look as Remus unlocked the front door and let them all in, rolling his eyes.

The Shrieking Shack had been refurbished years before for Order of the Phoenix meetings. All of the furniture was in prime condition, and there were carpets hiding the shining floors, especially the trapdoor that led to an underground passage into Hogwarts. Drapes hung from the windows and non-moving pictures decorated the walls. The place only looked homely on the inside, of course.

"I'm sure you can find your own rooms. I'm staying in the basement," Remus informed the two.

"Of course." Nixie gave Lysander one more killing look before hurrying up the stairs.

Lysander followed Remus into the kitchen, setting his bag on the table. "I hate this place."

"I know. I remember. You didn't ever want to return."

"No! Of course not! They hate me!" Lysander looked down at his hands. "With good reason."

"Stop that," Remus admonished, giving his charge a hug from behind.

"No, Rem, look." Lysander held up his hands, which Remus smacked away.

"We're not getting into this, Harry," Remus said firmly. "There is no blood on your hands."

"There is!" Lysander pushed away from the werewolf angrily. "Dammit, Remus! You can't see it because you just don't want to!"

"Harry." The name came out in a warning growl.

Lysander shook his head sharply before spinning and heading towards the back door. "I'm going out for a walk."

"It's not there. Trust me. What you see, my cub, is not there," Remus said softly.

Lysander shook his head. "Remus, this isn't something you can see, I guess." He sighed, shoulders drooping. "Only something I can see." He gave a faint wave before leaving the house to take his walk.

Remus looked up at a noise in the next room. Nixie came into sight. "What set him off this time?"

Remus shook his head. "He has bad memories here, that's all."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the war against You-Know-Who, would it?" Nixie inquired suddenly.

Remus narrowed his eyes at her. "I thought I smelt magic on you."

"Heh." Nixie scratched the back of her head nervously. "I never expected to meet _the_ Remus Lupin through a muggle friend. Quite a shock, really."

Remus pursed his lips. "Ly lost most of his family to Voldemort." The werewolf hid a victorious smirk as Nixie flinched. "He was one of the few muggles that helped fight and retained his memories. I sort of adopted him." He shook his head sadly. "Ly hated the war. Still does. Hates this place, even."

Nixie seated herself at the table. "If he knows about magic, why does he make fun of it so often?"

"To protect our world, as far as I know." The werewolf shrugged. "As I'm sure you've noticed, Ly doesn't always have a reason for what he does, he just does it. It's the way he is."

"Yeah..."

Remus paused. "If I may inquire, why didn't you tell Ly or myself you were a witch earlier?"

"Well, as far as _I_ knew, Lysander was one of those people who would burn witches at the stake if given half a chance. I figured he just didn't know you were a werewolf. This is the first chance I've had to tell you," Nixie explained.

Remus nodded and leaned against the counter. "Well, this will make things easier. Tell Ly you're a witch and you two can probably work something out that will make this job easier."

"Of course." A pause. "Remus, what do _you_ think the attacks are?"

"Death Eaters."

Both of the room's occupants looked up at Lysander, who was in the doorway that led into the living area, startled.

"Ly, don't _do_ that!" Remus exclaimed. He hated it that Lysander had found ways to keep from being noticed by werewolves.

"Sorry." Lysander leaned against the doorframe, eyes narrowed at Nixie. "Rem's right. This job just became about a million times easier. You can tackle the castle, _with Rem_ , since you're unknown here, and I'll tackle the town. Look for leads, possible attackers, everything. We'll make lists of everything we find and share it after the day's done. Sound good?"

"No one ever told me you were such a good leader," Nixie joked.

Lysander switched his gaze to a different wall, masks hiding his features. "Yeah."

"We're looking for Death Eaters, then?" Nixie asked, wanting to change the subject immediately. No one liked Lysander's moods.

"Death Eater, werewolves, vampires, everything. Vampire bites are hard to recreate, so I'm pretty sure we have at least a _few_ involved. The were's are difficult but, unless we can find an expert who's looked over the bodies..." He looked at Remus, who shook his head. "No leads there. The Death Eaters will be the hardest to spot, of course, since they're wizards. Look to the purebloods. They're _always_ purebloods."

"Right." Nixie nodded her head sharply. "We'll start tomorrow. Today, let's catch up on our sleep."

Lysander sighed and nodded. "Very well." He snapped his bag up from the table and left the room without another word.

Remus shook his head. "I feel like I've brought him up wrong, or something."

"Trust me, Remus. It just wouldn't be the same around the office without Lysander snapping at someone. It adds spice to life."

"It also takes years from _my_ life every time I hear him go off on someone or he manages to sneak into a room without even _my_ knowledge."

"How _did_ he do that?" Nixie inquired as she stood.

"Training for the war. Everyone learned. Ly just happens to be near perfect at it. Gets me every time."

Nixie laughed. "That's Lysander for you! Impossible to figure out!" She sighed. "Well, good night, Remus."

"Pleasant dreams, Nixie." Remus nodded, then watched as the witch left the room for her bed. _What a nightmare..._

.


	4. Three: God of Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"i took the ride_   
>  _i know what it's like_   
>  _to let the snake god come alive_   
>  _it's still alive_   
>  _it never dies_   
>  _it's the god of light inside"_
> 
> **\- from "God of Light" by Danzig**

"This place is amazing!" Nixie gasped, staring up at Hogwarts. Remus grinned.

"Remus! Wonderful to see you again!" a red-haired woman called as she came up to them. She paused long enough to hug Remus before turning to Nixie. "And you must be Nixie Waldo."

Nixie smiled and offered a hand. "I am, but I'm afraid Remus never gave a name for you."

The other woman grinned, shaking Nixie's hand. "I'm the Transfiguration professor and Deputy Headmistress here, Ginevra Malfoy."

Nixie couldn't help but gape in shock at the famed war hero.

"How's Ly?" Ginevra asked Remus suddenly.

"Moody." Remus shrugged.

"That's Ly for you," Ginevra laughed. "Now then, Ms Waldo, you have questions about the attacks?"

"Yes. I'd like to ask as many people as possible about it."

"Of course! Come along!" Ginevra brightly led the two visitors to the school doors.

-0-

Lysander took another sip of his butterbeer at the Hog's Head cautiously, all nerves on edge. The pub was not a respectable one and it was always dangerous, more so to muggles, which he continued to act like.

Suddenly, there was a wand at the back of his neck and a breath in his ear. "Stand quietly and start walking, muggle."

Lysander cursed mentally as he did what he was told, letting the wand guide him from the pub and into the darker alleys of Hogsmeade, where most people didn't go. It was just like him to forget to throw up undetectable shields to detect magical persons. It's what he got for living like a muggle for years.

"We don't like muggles on our turf, slime. Hog's Head is our turf. You should never have gone there."

Lysander kept his mouth shut. He could use wandless magic if absolutely necessary, true, but the wand was at the back of his neck and he'd be paralyzed or dead before he could cast a powerful enough attack. _'Never mouth off when they have the wand,'_ he recalled his sixth year Defence Against the Dark Arts professor telling them.

Anyway, he was curious where this wizard would lead him.

"Go in there," the man ordered gruffly as they stopped in front of a door.

Lysander pushed the door open and stepped into a very dusty living room. The floor had a line of fresh footprints on it, and it was those he was made to follow.

They stepped through another door and into a room full of witches and wizards. They all were dressed like the Death Eaters of Voldemort's reign.

_Found them. Now what?!_

-0-

Nixie groaned as she sat with Remus at the Head Table for lunch. "I hope Lysander's doing better than we are right now."

"Knowing Ly, he's in the middle of some life-threatening situation that he'll get out of after only a little trouble," Ginevra said fondly as she sat next to Remus.

"Probably true, but do you think he's getting any leads with all that trouble?"

Ginevra and Remus traded looks before both nodding.

"He'll have everything you need and then some," Ginevra assured Nixie. "It's how he's always lived."

Nixie sighed. "I hope he's okay…"

"Lysander is as hard to kill as Harry Potter," Neville Longbottom, Herbology Professor and Head of Gryffindor, told Nixie brightly from down the table.

"Hey, what ever happened to Harry Potter, anyway? We never found out in America," Nixie inquired.

"No one knows." Neville shrugged. "He just disappeared. They say he probably hid out in the muggle world after he was freed from Azkaban."

"I wonder if he'll ever return." Nixie let out a mournful sigh. Harry Potter was the one war hero she'd always wanted to meet, despite all the press against him.

Ginevra shook her head. "I doubt it."

"Potter will be back," Lucius Malfoy, Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House, told the group seriously. "Once he hears about the attack last night, that is."

"What happened?" Ginevra turned curious eyes on her father-in-law.

"There was a massacre in Diagon Alley. Didn't you see the paper?"

"Who do they claim it was?" Nixie demanded while the others shook their heads in answer to Lucius' question.

"Death Eaters." Lucius shrugged.

"Leader? Do they know?"

Lucius pursed his lips, not at all happy. "Of course. They say it's Potter."

"What?!"

"That's not possible..." Remus whispered.

Lucius nodded. " _We_ know that, but, as you are aware, most of our world either doesn't know, or just doesn't give a damn. It's Fudge's way of keeping his position."

"It doesn't help he's disappeared." Neville groaned. "Remus, are you sure you can't get him to come back?"

"It may only make things worse," Lucius pointed out.

"Brilliant." Ginevra rested her head on the table. "Just bloody brilliant."

-0-

There were about twenty wands pointed at him and Lysander half expected Voldemort to come out and laugh at him.

"Another muggle looking for answers? How pathetic," a female voice sneered.

Lysander's gaze shot over to the speaker. "Lestrange. You're supposed to be dead," he said blankly, voice giving away none of his emotions.

Bellatrix Lestrange cackled. "But I'm not."

"How?" Lysander inquired calmly as he flattened the rage and hate welling up inside him.

"Same as the rest of us." Regulus Black snorted. "Magic."

Lysander's eyes narrowed. "Obviously."

"Isn't this one a smart guy," a male voice Lysander knew far too well inquired.

Lysander's head spun sharply and he came face-to-face with Harry Potter. "Who in the blazes are you?!"

"Harry Potter." The wizard smirked.

"That's not possible..."

"Everything is possible, little muggle," Potter replied. He stepped up to Lysander and ran a loving finger down the man's jaw.

Lysander's forehead screamed in pain and he jumped away from the touch. _NO!_ he mentally cried out. His green eyes were wide with fear, an emotion the man hadn't shown for decades.

"Are you scared, little muggle?" Potter teased.

Lysander couldn't manage to pull himself back together as he backed towards the doorway. "Keep away from me, monster..."

"Deal with him," Potter ordered before spinning and heading out of the circle of fire.

The wands trained on the "muggle" started glowing different colours to Lysander's trained magical vision as the Death Eaters started various curses. Immediately, the man realised he'd have to let his true nature be known again.

Lysander let his magic free from the "cage" he'd constructed upon joining the muggle world to keep from detection and saw Potter's eyes widen as he realized he wasn't dealing with a muggle at all, far from it. "Go back to hell!" Lysander screamed before apparating with a 'crack'.

"Find him!" Potter ordered. "I want him dead!"

The Death Eaters scrambled.

-0-

Everyone, especially those who knew him, stared in shock as a terrified Lysander ran into the Great Hall and up to the Head Table. He stopped before Albus Dumbledore, the elderly Headmaster. "Albus, lock down the school."

Albus nodded sharply, not giving himself time for shock. "Give warnings," was his order before he started chanting under his breath.

Lysander forced his mask back on before turning to face the rest of the school, not at all surprised to find hundreds of little faces staring up at him, a stranger, with both distrust and curiosity. During Voldemort's reign, it had been his job to explain and give out the orders for lock-down procedures to the students.

"Students and staff of Hogwarts, I need your undivided attention." _Not like I don't already have it, of course..._ "We are locking the school down for your safety. Classes are now cancelled. In a few moments, I'll need our Prefects to lead their Houses to their dormitories. Once there, _no one_ is to leave the dormitories until the lock-down is lifted, and trust me when I say you won't like the consequences. Food will be delivered to you via the house-elves and staff. If you have a problem that needs immediate attention, you will inform the ghosts who will be attending to the House commons or a house-elf. The Head Boy and Girl are required here for further instructions. Dismissed."

The Hall was suddenly alive with noise again as Prefects collected the students in their Houses to lead them out.

"Lysander?" Nixie was suddenly at her partner's side as the man continued watching the semi-organized chaos.

Twin emerald eyes without any emotion settled on the woman. "You have questions." It was a statement, not a question.

"Plenty."

Lysander nodded. "I am a wizard, though I lost my wand during the war, as well as my closest friends, and have been living as a muggle since. Anything else will have to wait until later."

Nixie nodded in understanding, all questions had their place, and paused to process the new information about the ever-mysterious man.

Ginevra brushed past Nixie to hug Lysander tightly, ignoring his stiffening at the contact. "It's great to see you again, Ly."

Lysander sighed and pulled himself from the woman's grasp gently. "It would be nicer, I'm sure, if not for the information I hold."

"Does it have to do with Potter?" Lucius inquired.

Emerald eyes narrowed at the greying man. "And what might make you ask that, Malfoy?"

"Other than everything with you having something to do with the brat?" Lucius shot back before tossing the morning's Daily Prophet at Lysander to shut him up.

On the front page of the Daily Prophet was a picture of Harry Potter, smirking evilly, surrounded by Death Eaters and the ruins of Diagon Alley. The article's caption read "Harry Potter, The Man Who Murdered?"

Emerald eyes flashed and the paper was in flames, startling the people around the black-haired wizard. "That bastard. The Merlin-damned _bastard_! I'll _murder_ him!"

Remus and Ginevra, being the closest and the fastest to recover, grabbed his arms. "Lysander Evans! Calm down!"

Lysander pursed his lips and looked straight at Albus Dumbledore, calming himself even as he gazed into the dulled blue eyes and taking strength from the fear within them. " _That_ is not Harry Potter. I just came from a meeting with that group, and just barely escaped them with my life."

"Then who is it, my boy?" Albus asked gently.

Lysander hung his head warily, eyes closed. "Tom Marvolo Riddle," he replied in a whisper.

Silence rang through the nearly empty Hall, shock registering on all faces but Nixie, the Head Boy, and the Head Girl's.

"He's dead..." Ginevra whispered finally. "I saw him dead... We all did..."

"Lysander?" Nixie asked softly, confusion colouring her voice.

Empty green eyes opened again and he looked around the room, his cold voice driving home the news harshly, "Voldemort has returned."

Someone fainted.

.


	5. Four: System

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I count again_   
>  _I know who to blame_   
>  _My life in vain_   
>  _Who said I was sane?"_
> 
> _\- from "System" by In Flames_

Lysander was seated in a corner, Nixie and Remus on either side of him. The staff had all gathered in the Headmaster's office to make plans.

Of course, they were all at a standstill...

"It's just _not possible_ , Albus. I cannot believe it," Michael Corner, who taught Arithmancy, growled out. Terry Boot, Head of Ravenclaw and the Charms Professor, sat next to him nodding as he sent Lysander murderous looks.

"It's not like _anyone_ should trust the word of a turncoat anyway," Boot hissed.

"Terry." Albus gave his Charms Professor a silencing look.

"Where's the evidence?" Corner inquired, avoiding looking at Lysander.

"I have none," Lysander replied evenly. "What did you expect, a picture?"

"Traitor," Boot muttered.

"Terry, shut the fuck up!" Ginevra shouted angrily. "Ly hasn't done a damn thing!"

"Except lied," Boot replied, narrowing his eyes at the Malfoy.

"So says a member of the DA himself!" Ginevra shot back.

"The DA did not lie."

"A secret can be seen as a lie, Terry," Oliver Wood, Hogwarts' flying instructor, said softly.

Terry's eyes shot back to Lysander. "Imagine that."

"I am not lying about Voldemort, Boot. I have _never_ lied about Voldemort," Lysander replied calmly.

"Just about everyone's deaths."

Lysander shot out of his seat and stalked over to Boot, leaning over to come nose-to-nose with the Ravenclaw Head. "Say that again and you can ask them about that yourself. Keep your trap shut before I shut it for you. Permanently."

"You smell of death, Evans," Boot replied evenly, wand clutched in his hand.

"Interesting, since I was surrounded by dead people less than an hour ago, don't you think?" Lysander stepped back and glanced at Albus. "I'm done here. Find me when everyone's grown up." Then the man left the room.

"Terry, you have got to be more courteous," Albus told the Charms Professor. "We need Lysander right now."

Nixie scowled at the old man. _Need? What can a wizard without a wand do? Get killed, it seems like._

-0-

Lysander stood at the edge of the lake, tossing sticks to the squid. "Bastards. They'll never get it."

"I don't know why you'd still expect them to, Potter." Lucius Malfoy came to stand next to the black-haired man. "They're afraid of you."

"They're not afraid, Malfoy." Lysander sneered. "They _hate_ me, all of them."

"Ginevra too? And what of Longbottom? Or Lupin?"

Lysander scowled at the ex-Death Eater. "Rem was the only one who ever visited me in Azkaban. I've forgiven him. No one else here even gave a thought."

"Ginevra did." Lucius pulled something out of his pocket and fingered it as he gazed across the lake. "But Draco's death and those of her brothers and father kept her busy for a while, and then Dumbledore hired her and kept her here. Longbottom was stuck at home with his ailing grandmother. I'm sure others were also kept away from seeing you by deaths or what was left of their family."

Lysander threw another stick into the lake, watching as the squid grabbed it from the air and tugged it down.

Lucius grabbed Lysander's hand and slipped something into it. "People will hate you, Harry. Get used to it, but don't blame the whole world for those few," he said calmly before turning to go back into the school building through the secret passage both he and Lysander had taken out.

Lysander watched the man disappear before glancing down at the locket in his hand. He bit back tears as he read the inscription:

_'Heart and soul, I am yours as you are mine. Never let go.'_

"I thought I'd lost this..." he whispered to the air, flicking the lock open to gaze at the picture within. Lucius smiled out at him, a rare sight, with a much happier Harry Potter in his arms. They would, occasionally, turn around and kiss or whisper something, but, for the most part, the two looked content just sitting with each other peacefully. Lysander couldn't help but recall the day the picture had been taken...

0-0

_"Harry! Get your ass out here!"_

_Harry stepped out into the hallway, scowling. His hair had been gelled back and he wore deep green robes that set off his eyes. "I hate this, Luci. I don't see why I have to go through all this trauma for a_ **picture** _!"_

_"You're the only one having problems with it." Draco Malfoy smirked at the Gryffindor._

_"Draco, stop teasing him," Ginny Weasley berated her fiancé, slipping an arm through his. "You know how much Harry likes pictures."_

_"Sorry..."_

_"Wimp."_

_"What did you call me, Potter?!"_

_"Wimp." Harry stuck his tongue out at the younger Malfoy. "Namby-pamby. Baby. Sissy."_

_"POTTER!!"_

_Harry turned and shot down the hall, Draco chasing after him, laughing insanely._

_Lucius and Ginny traded looks, both trying to hide smiles._

_"Trauma indeed." Lucius snorted. He turned, wand drawn. "_ Accio _Harry Potter."_

_Harry flew into Lucius' arms, laughing. He hugged the blonde man with a big smile. "Did I get the gel out?" ___

_"Yup," Ginny assured him. "You look just like Harry James Potter, the most untidy person I know, after Ron, of course."_

_"Now that you've gone and ruined all of that_ **hard work** _," Lucius set the Boy-Who-Lived down firmly and spun him to face a pouting Draco, "Apologize."_

_Harry slipped from Lucius' grasp and walked right up to Draco, hand out. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have picked on you just to fix my hair."_

_Draco gave the hand a wary once-over before taking it in his own to shake._

_Harry, smirking evilly, pulled Draco into a quick, crushing hug before hopping away to hide behind Lucius._

"Potter, your name is going up on my 'Has a Death Wish' List."

_"What number am I now?" Harry inquired brightly._

_"Tell him later," Lucius cut in. "We have pictures to take."_

_"Do I_ **have** _to?" Harry whined._

_"Yes, you_ **have** _to," Lucius responded as Draco led Ginny down the hall to where the photographer would be waiting._

_"Drat." Harry sighed and followed Lucius after Draco and Ginny. "I never win."_

_"You don't?" Lucius turned to give the boy a suggestive look. "We'll have to fix that, then."_

_"You mean you'll actually_ **smile** _for the camera?!" Harry asked, shocked._

_Lucius scowled. "That was_ **not** _–"_

_Harry hopped up to kiss Lucius quickly and offered the taller man a bright smile. "Of course I know what you meant, Luci, but_ **that** _has to wait until_ **after** _the dratted picture and you'll have to_ **smile** _for that or I'll_ **pout** _for a week in my bedroom alone." Then the teen shot after Draco and Ginny._

_Lucius sighed after him. "Brat."_

0-0

Lysander shut the locket carefully and slipped it into a pocket. "But, how can I not blame them when it's true?" he whispered to the lake. "How can I not blame the world that shunned me when I liberated it, that hated me for being more powerful than it thought safe?" A single tear slid down Lysander's cheek. "I should never have come back..."

Determination flashed in emerald eyes as Lysander made up his mind.

-0-

Nixie frowned as she watched Lysander start walking purposefully towards the Forbidden Forest. She'd watched Lucius talk to her co-worker, give him something, then leave the black-haired man to his thoughts. She popped the window open as she pointed her wand at herself for a spell.

" _Sonorus_. Evans! Get back in here!" she shouted after him.

Lysander glanced back at her, a bitter smile on his face. Somehow, Nixie heard his voice, as if he were right next to her: "No, Waldo. I cannot stay here."

"EVANS! GET YOUR ASS BACK IN HERE!! _**NOW!**_ " Nixie screamed.

"Good luck." Lysander turned back towards the Forest.

"Shit..." Nixie whispered before running to find someone who _could_ get Lysander to stay.

.


	6. Five: Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I wanna run away_   
>  _Never say goodbye_   
>  _I wanna know the truth_   
>  _Instead of wondering why_   
>  _I wanna know the answers_   
>  _No more lies_   
>  _I wanna shut the door_   
>  _And open up my mind"_
> 
> **\- from "Runaway" by Linkin Park**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Torture scene before ye. I tried to keep it from being too gruesome.

Lysander was resting against a tree in Grawp's old clearing. He missed Grawp...

...Okay, maybe not.

He _did_ miss Hagrid, though...

And Hermione...

And Ron...

And even Draco, really...

Yes, Severus too...

There was a crackle in the brush behind him, but Lysander was too busy remembering to notice it. So he wasn't prepared for the Death Eater who grabbed him and Apparated them away until they were in front of "Harry Potter".

_Oh fucking shit..._

-0-

"You're sure?"

"Werewolf, if you don't get your ass out there and find him now, I'll kill you."

"Don't bite my head off."

"Then _move_ it."

"Lucius, my dear boy, I'm sure Lysander can take care of himself."

"Albus, _think_ for once! He _just got back_ , and he's _already_ thrown into a war! Knowing Evans like I do, he's probably got a hurricane going through his head, trying to sort everything back out! If he's thinking, he won't be prepared for an attack! If he's not prepared for an attack, someone could kill him! _**THEN WHERE WILL YOU BE?!**_ "

"Lucius, calm down."

"Ginevra Malfoy, let me go this instant."

"Not a chance. Go on, Rem. We'll catch up with you once _Father_ here has calmed down."

"I will _not_ calm down."

"Lucius..."

"Ginevra! Let me go, Merlin damn you!"

Nixie sighed as Lucius and Ginevra glared at one another, Ginevra's grip on her father-in-law's arm white-knuckled, Lucius' face red from shouting. Remus stood to one side, nervously shuffling his feet. Albus watched all of the drama from his desk calmly.

"Mr Malfoy, Mrs Malfoy, please control yourselves," Albus ordered finally.

Ginevra let go of Lucius and the man turned away from her angrily.

"Ms Waldo and Mr Lupin will go after Mr Evans," Albus decided.

"Albus..."

"Lucius." Albus settled his silencing gaze of the other wizard. "I know you're worried about Lysander, but you'll be the first one detected if you leave these grounds. I will not risk you."

"But you can risk Evans," Lucius hissed coldly. Then he stalked from the room. Ginevra followed him after a nod from Albus.

"Remus, Ms Waldo, if you would please move quickly?"

"Of course, Headmaster," Remus agreed politely.

Nixie kept her silence until they were crossing the lawn. "Remus, why was Lucius so upset about Lysander's disappearance?"

"Ly and Lucius were close near the end of the war." Remus shrugged. "I suppose it makes sense that he still worries over Ly."

"Everyone else seems to think Lysander can take care of himself, though."

"I dare say, Lucius probably knows Lysander better than anyone."

"Even you?"

"Even me."

"Wow..."

"He entered into the Forest here?"

"Yes."

"Keep your wand out."

"Right..."

-0-

"Are the accommodations to your liking?" Potter inquired as he stepped into the dungeon cell.

Lysander was held up against the far wall by clasps that bound his magic. A large bruise was forming along one side of his face. "Fuck off, bastard," he hissed.

"Aren't you feisty."

"Away, monster. Out of my sight. Your hair looks like a bird's nest. Probably smells too."

" _Incidere!_ " Potter hissed, wand aimed at the hanging figure.

Lysander bit back a cry as the spell sliced open his arm. "Impostor."

"This would be about a million times easier on you if you'd _shut your mouth_! _Cremare!_ "

The spell burned through his shirt and left a raw patch of skin in the middle of Lysander's stomach. "Why would I want to make it easy when this is more fun?" the man asked through gritted teeth.

"I would like your name, sir, so I might add it to my list of those I've murdered," Potter said in with false niceness.

"Eat dung," Lysander shot back.

" _Incidere._ Name?"

"Tom Riddle," the captive growled, once again ignoring the deep cut in his side.

"One more time, boy. Name?"

"Tom. Marvolo. Riddle."

" _CRUCIO!_ "

Lysander screamed.

-0-

Remus bent down to pick up something that shone in the dim light. He made sure Nixie couldn't see before opening the small locket. Inside was a picture of Harry and Lucius. The werewolf closed his eyes sadly as he slipped the locket into a pocket that was magicked to not lose things before turning to look at Nixie. "The trail ends here. It smells like someone else was here also."

"So, the Death Eaters might have him?"

Remus sighed. "There's no 'might' about it. Antonin Dolohov grabbed him and Apparated them somewhere."

"We can't trace it?"

"No."

Nixie kicked at the dirt at her feet. "Better head back. Tell Dumbledore and Lucius and Ginevra the bad news."

"I can hear Lucius already." Remus groaned as the two turned back towards the castle. " 'You didn't look hard enough! Try again!' "

Nixie winced. "Just what we need."

"Are you worried about him?"

"Lysander?"

"Yeah."

"Of course I am. But–" Nixie smiled sadly "–I'll trust what Ginevra said; Lysander can take care of himself."

"I hope so..."

.


	7. Six: Dark Signs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Held down._   
>  _Strangled and abused_   
>  _Cut down to half a member_   
>  _Left with his hand tied_   
>  _Everything points in the wrong direction"_
> 
> **\- from "Dark Signs" by In Flames**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First scene has torture and non-descriptive rape. Feel free to skip to the first section break if that makes you uncomfortable.

Lysander glanced up through his hair, which was hanging in his eyes limply, just like the rest of him. There was blood in his eyes, from when he'd cracked his head against the wall during a round of Cruciatus. His body was covered in burns, ranging from first-degree to third-degree, and bloody cuts. His mind, though, was above the pain, a technique he'd acquired during the war. _Who needs to go to a tattoo parlour when you can go visit Voldemort's base. Great Merlin, I must look like hell. If Tom thinks he's breaking me, he's wrong. Hum... How much longer until I die, I wonder..._

"Wakey, wakey, boy-o," a voice cut through Lysander's half-sane thoughts.

"Being dead's really helped your vocabulary, Mulciber," Lysander said with a snort.

"Not dead yet?"

"Unfortunately, no." Lysander gave the man a bright smile. "Come to finish the job?"

"It's nice to find someone who laughs so nicely in the face of death. Perhaps I should fix that?"

"Oh, have fun. I give _no_ guarantees it'll work, however." Lysander motioned his hand, which was still chained to the wall, flippantly. "I'll just go back to sleep."

"Ah, no." Mulciber pointed his wand at Lysander with a determined expression on his face. " _Solidus Sanare!_ "

Lysander froze for a brief second before cracking up. "A Death Eater who knows a good healing spell! I'm delusional!"

"I believe you've been hit with _Crucio_ a few too many times. It's addled your brain."

Emerald eyes met those of his tormentor's, sane as the second their owner had first been seen in Hogsmeade. "I'll bet I can take five times as many _Crucio_ s as anyone in this building before I even _start_ to crack. I'd ask if we can find out, but I don't think I'd be in the proper state of mind to collect my winnings."

There was a crack as a whip snapped in Lysander's face, slicing open his cheek dangerously close to his eye. "Shut up, brat. Your constant chatter tires me."

"Oh _so_ sorry about that," Lysander replied dryly, rolling his eyes, then flinching back to save his eyes as the whip cracked again. "Hey, watch that thing! I need my eyes!"

"Patience, Mulciber." Potter's hand on the man's shoulder stopped him from cracking the whip again. "He's under your skin and you're letting him go deeper." Emerald met emerald as Potter looked up at Lysander. "What secrets do you hide, little muggle?" the man murmured. "Do you perhaps know where that Malfoy scum is?"

Lysander's throat tightened, but he grinned brightly. "He'd best hope not! We never did get along, Malfoy and me. Did he really jump the boat and join the ocean against you Death Eaters?"

Potter twitched. "Break him," he hissed angrily to the man behind him.

Mulciber stepped forward, wrapping up his whip eagerly. "Master, I'll have to free him..."

"You will do nothing of the sort!" Potter rounded on his man, wand out and pressed to the Death Eater's throat before he registered Lysander's peals of laughter.

"No, no! Keep going! This is _sooo_ much better than watching my blood pool on the floor, let me tell you!" Lysander laughed.

Potter's eyes flashed and his wand turned on his prisoner. " _Crucio_ ," he hissed before returning his gaze to Mulciber as Lysander screamed. "He will remain chained to the wall or his magic will be free. I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

"No, no, of course not, Master," Mulciber agreed, eyes wide.

Potter ended the Cruciatus Curse with a wave of his wand and stepped back to a chair positioned next to the door. "Now." He looked quite smug.

Lysander kept his eyes on the other man, ignoring Mulciber, who appeared to be preparing something. But, to see him, Lysander would have to look away from Potter, and he refused that.

The chill caught him off-guard as his clothing disappeared and his eyes snapped over to Mulciber, who looked quite pleased and was pulling down his pants.

Lysander froze. _Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!_

"Not so sure now, are you, muggle?" Potter laughed cruelly from where he sat.

Lysander threw up mental walls as two hands gripped his hips, forcing his legs apart. _No, fuck no. Nonononononononono...._ A jab of pain in his arse made the man twitch, but he refused to scream. _Luci. Just-NO! No, don't think of Luci. It's what he wants. Weakness. I have no weakness. Right. I have no weakness. I have no weakness. I have no weakness..._

Lysander continued with his mental mantra even as he screamed.

-0- **_-You can look now if you needed to skip.-_** -0-

Lucius just stared at the werewolf and Nixie, unable to form a coherent sentence. Some part of him was wondering when he'd started to care for Harry again.

"So, Voldemort has him, and we have no clue where they are." Albus sighed, rubbing at his forehead.

Lucius' anger rose at seeing the normally cheerful and calm Headmaster so lost. "No brilliant plans for once, Albus? We'll just wait for his head back on a stick?"

"Lucius, there's no guarantee that Voldemort will–" Remus started.

Lucius turned on the werewolf. "No? Remus, _think_! There's no way the Dark Lord will let him get away _again_!"

"And there's no telling that Voldemort actually knows who Ly is!" Ginevra bit out, throwing her father-in-law into silence. "Father, you know Ly can take care of himself better than anyone. It may take him time, since he's been away from our world for so long, but he _will_ get out of Voldemort's grasp and come back again."

Lucius sighed helplessly. "Do what you think is best, then. Don't mind me." He turned to leave.

"Lucius." Remus held out a hand, the locket in it.

Lucius picked the locket up gently. "You found this in the Forest?"

"Yes."

"Where he last was?"

"Yes." Remus nodded firmly.

Lucius smirked. "Albus, we can find him after all."

The elderly Headmaster glanced up at his Potions Professor warily. "How?"

"Because the first time I gave this to Evans, the tracking charm was on it. This time, the tracking charm was to trace itself to him if he lost it," the Slytherin said coolly.

"Father, you really _are_ a Slytherin," Ginevra murmured in awe. Lucius scowled at her.

"Very well. Summon the other–"

"No!" Nixie scowled at the Headmaster, shocking everyone with her outburst. "Those people don't _like_ Lysander. Why call them in here and cause more trouble? Anyway, the more people you have the harder it will be to get him out. All you need is one or two people."

"Ms Waldo has a valid point," Lucius murmured appreciatively. "The Dark Lord will be expecting a large group, not a small one."

"Nixie should definitely go," Ginevra cut in. "Voldemort doesn't know her yet, so she'll be the hardest for him to detect. And you normally do this sort of work, correct?" She glanced at the American, who smirked in response.

"And Remus," Lucius said calmly. "Werewolf senses will help you two move quickly and keep from being caught. The Death Eaters were never taught to mask themselves from werewolves like the Order."

Remus nodded. "We should also have robes that will match the Death Eaters'."

"I've got my old ones still. Come on," Lucius instructed, turning, again, to leave.

"Remus, Nixie." The two looked back at Albus, who smiled sadly. "Good luck."

Nixie nodded and Remus smiled. "We'll bring him back, Albus," the wizard assured the old Headmaster, leaving out the "dead or alive" they all knew belonged in there.

Albus turned to look out his window as the door closed behind the four witches and wizards.

-0-

"Lucius, were you a Death Eater?" Nixie inquired on their way to the dungeons of the castle.

"Yes," the man replied shortly.

"What made you turn?"

Lucius glanced over at the curious young woman. "Truthfully?" Nixie nodded. "My son falling in love with Ginevra. She refused to switch sides and managed to drag Draco to the Light. It wasn't until my wife was murdered by another Death Eater for being too curious that I openly switched, though."

"Wow. That's one bit of information they never put in the history books."

"No." Ginevra shook her head sadly. "They didn't put a lot in the history books. In fact, all they really put were names and battles. Maybe they put in a little background about the person they were glorifying, but those characters they wrote about were nothing like the real people themselves."

Nixie glanced around at the three war heroes she was walking with. Lucius was growing old and looked almost heartbroken with his losses, but he held himself firm and strong. Ginevra had lost most of her family and her husband and had shoots of grey in her bright red hair already, but she was still a sharp woman and brave. Remus' hair was all grey and his eyes were half-lidded most of the time, but he was still quick and smart. Albus Dumbledore was looking older than time itself, but his presence still brought hope and a smile.

Nixie shook her head with a smile. "No, it depicts you guys well enough without your backgrounds. So what if it doesn't list all your faults like it does with your enemies or get your little quirks across. It's still you in those books."

Remus reached up and ruffled Nixie's hair fondly. "You know you'll probably end up in those books now."

"Lovely," the American responded dryly.

The three Brits laughed.

"Oh, Nixie, it's not so bad," Ginevra teased.

Nixie scowled. "I'm going to write my own book so they get it right."

Lucius smiled sadly. "You do that. But, when you do, make sure you get everyone's tales."

"I plan to. And I'm going to capture _everyone_ , even the _students_!" Nixie declared, smiling.

"And if you ever met the real Harry Potter, would you glorify him, or make him out to be a real person?" Remus wanted to know.

"Well, I suppose that would depend on what he wanted me to do with him, now wouldn't it?"

Ginevra settled a friendly arm around the younger witch. "So it would. So it would."

.


	8. Seven: Passive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Leaning over you here, cold and catatonic_   
>  _I catch a brief reflection of what you could and might have been_   
>  _It's your right and your ability_   
>  _To become...my perfect enemy..."_
> 
> **\- from "Passive" by A Perfect Circle**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that torture last chapter? Yeah. This chapter's pretty much a full-on addition. Whoops.

Lysander licked at the blood trailing from his broken nose. _I'm starting to look like Severus. Fabulous. Just what I've always wanted._

"Still won't talk?" Potter was pacing before him again, alone.

Lysander shrugged. "It's a little painful, so, no."

" _Incidere_ ," Potter muttered, causing a slice right below Lysander's right eye. "Your mindless prattle tires me."

"Interesting." Lysander snorted. "So kill me already, and save yourself the boredom."

"No, this is far more fun." Potter's mouth curled up in a cold smile. "And you do look remarkably beautiful, tortured."

"Sick monster."

Potter slid up to Lysander and ran a hand over the younger wizard's blood-slicked abdomen. "Why thank you, Mr Riddle," he offered before throwing a punch deep in to Lysander's stomach.

Lysander grimaced. "So, I hear your father was a muggle who didn't want you because you were a monster. Is that true?"

Potter's eyes flashed and he raised his wand. " _Avada Ke–_ " He froze, recognition dawning in the false emerald eyes. "Well, I'll be damned."

"I do believe it is far too late for that."

The wizard's smile widened and he forced Lysander to meet his eyes. "Harry Potter. I've finally caught you."

"You think _I_ am _Harry Potter_?" Lysander hissed, ignoring the sharp pain in his head.

"Yes," Potter responded and narrowed his eyes.

Lysander bit back a shout as his head flared in pain. _Oh, fucking shit. Damn my Gryffindor mouth!_

A slap across the face brought him back to reality. "Were you hoping for a party, Harry?" his captor purred.

"You sound like a deranged animal," Lysander hissed. "Of course, that could be because you _are_ a deranged ani–" he cut himself off with a cry as Potter's fist buried itself in his crotch. "Great," he wheezed. "Trying to keep me from having kids now?"

"You weren't going to have any anyway," Potter pointed out evenly.

"Oh, good point," Lysander shot back furiously. "You'll be killing me before you let me go. Probably send my head back to Albus on a stake, just like you did with everyone else!" He tugged at the chains that held him against the wall, trying to stop the flow of tears. He knew what the Dark Lord was doing. He was forcing him to remember his friends that had been captured, tortured, then had their heads sent back in little boxes. " _ **MONSTER!**_ "

Potter leaned back against the far wall with a smile.

§ § § § §

Nixie and Remus snuck into the dark cottage Lucius had directed them to. The locket was in Remus' pocket. Lucius had transformed it into a portkey for them to place around Lysander's neck. It was set to transport the wizard into the Hospital Ward, where Poppy, Lucius, Ginevra, and Albus would be waiting.

"We're in, now what?" Nixie hissed under her breath.

Remus paused to sniff the air before pointing to a lighter patch of the wall.

Nixie nodded and walked up to it, Remus trailing her. She pushed on it lightly with a frown. "Won't open."

Remus bit his lip and shook his head. He had no clue where to go from here.

Nixie pulled out her wand and, with a shrug, said the first spell that came to her. " _Alohomora_?"

The door popped open.

"Leave it to You-Know-Who to pick something so simple," Nixie muttered, pulling a soft laugh from her companion.

"Leave your wand out," Remus warned, sliding past her to go first in the dark.

Nixie nodded and fell in to step behind the werewolf. _Oh, Merlin, I hope Lysander hasn't gotten himself killed!_

-0-

"Run out of insults yet?" Potter asked, amused, as Lysander paused for a breath, tears running down his face in hopeless streams.

"Bugger off, bastard."

"I don't feel like getting blood all over myself, thank you."

"Surely you learned a cleaning charm at Hogwarts, Tom," Lysander shot back.

"Ah, but they're no good for blood."

"You'll have to tell Albus so he can change the curriculum."

"No, no. I'll just change it myself when I take over Hogwarts."

"And we'll just stop you again."

"Doubtful."

"Come now, Tom. They already know you're back. Albus probably already has all the Order members there, awaiting your little attack."

"Not if they're looking for you, Harry," Potter pointed out calmly.

Lysander scowled. "I'd hope the other teachers would knock some sense into his head and he'd worry about the school before me."

"Ah, Harry, dear child, you'll never learn how Dumbledore's mind works, will you?"

"I know how his mind works, thankyouverymuch. It's _yours_ that still confuses me."

"Should I take the time to show you?"

"No, thank you. I'd rather get raped again."

"I can have that arranged."

"I've no doubt you can, but please give Mulciber another hour or so to come down from his high," Lysander replied pleasantly.

"Actually, I just got an idea, my dear Harry."

"Oh, lovely. I do so _love_ your ideas."

"I'm tempted to give you a mop to clean up your sarcasm," Potter offered with a bright smile. "But I don't think setting you free would be very productive, so you'll have to forgive me if I let it make a mess."

"Oh, of course. Can't let me down. After all, I might kill you again."

"Yes, that was one little problem I'd considered." The Dark Lord aimed his wand at Lysander's stomach. "I kept forgetting to give you a birthday gift, you know. I'll just give you this one and we'll call it even."

Lysander eyed the wand warily. "What are you planning to do to me this time, Tom?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll like it. It's very fashionable these days. _Morsmordre_."

Lysander screamed as the Dark Mark burrowed itself into his skin. Potter merely laughed madly.

-0-

Nixie shuddered as the sounds of Lysander's scream and insane laughter reached them. "Remus?"

Remus spun and set the locket into Nixie's hands. "The room is just ahead. I smell blood and semen, expect the worst. When we get there, go straight to Ly and put this on him. You'll have to support him, because I doubt he can stand. Once you get back to Hogwarts, tell the others what I smelt so they can treat him quicker."

Nixie nodded. "And you?"

"I'm covering your back and running like hell once you're gone."

Nixie nodded. "Right."

"And go in low," Remus added seriously.

Nixie nodded and took the lead as the screams died down. The laughter continued.

She crouched next to the door and looked to Remus, who was standing flush against the wall. The werewolf gave one sharp nod and Nixie pushed the door open.

Pausing to give herself only the time needed to locate Lysander, the witch sprinted across the room, keeping low to the floor. She ignored the curses behind her as Remus attacked whoever had been torturing Lysander. Reaching her partner, she jumped up and slid the portkey over his head. "Hey, Evans," she whispered, sliding an arm around his waist.

Lysander's eyes lit up. "Waldo, you have no clue how glad I am to see you," he muttered as the portkey activated.

Seeing the two disappear, Remus forced himself to switch into wolf form, a trick possible only with a potion Severus Snape had made for him during the war, and ran back through the house, dodging the curses Lord Voldemort threw after him.

.


	9. Eight: The Unforgiven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“New blood joins this earth_   
>  _And quickly he's subdued_   
>  _Through constant pained disgrace_   
>  _The young boy learns their rules_   
>  _With time the child draws in_   
>  _The whipping boy done wrong_   
>  _Deprived of all his thoughts_   
>  _The young man struggles on and on he's known_   
>  _A vow unto his own_   
>  _That never from this day_   
>  _His will they'll take away”_
> 
> **\- from “The Unforgiven” by Metallica**

"How's he doing?" Remus asked, falling into the seat between Lucius and Nixie.

Nixie glanced up, face strained. "No clue. Madam Pomfrey won't let us in." She motioned to the closed door of the private room.

Remus winced and turned to Lucius. "How are you doing, Malfoy?"

Lucius made a face at Remus. "Drop the act, Rem, I'm too tired for it."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lucius, this is Ha-er-Lysander we're talking about! If anyone can make it through a round of Voldemort's torture, it's him!"

"Rem, he's got the fucking _Dark Mark_ carved into his stomach, for Merlin's sake! I'm not worried about him physically, I'm worried about him mentally!" Lucius stood suddenly and started pacing. "You know how much he hates Voldemort and everything connected to that bastard. How is his going to handle this?"

"Lucius, stop." The three magical persons glanced up at Albus as he stepped from the private room Lysander was in.

"How is he, Albus?" Remus asked, standing. Nixie also stood, nervously twiddling her fingers.

"He will live."

"Oh, that's nice," Lucius shot at the old Headmaster bitterly. "He'll live again! Great!"

"Lucius..." Albus sighed helplessly. "He's sleeping. We won't know how he'll handle everything until he wakes."

"May I see him, or will the rampant she-lion try and eat me again?" Lucius sneered.

"Lucius!" Remus cried, appalled.

Albus just waved him towards the door. "I can hardly tell you no when you're like this."

"Good." Lucius spun and stalked into Lysander's room.

"Headmaster?" Nixie inquired.

"There's not any point." Remus sighed, sitting back down. "If Ly isn't awake, there's really no point in going in, Nixie."

"Remus is right, my dear. I'm sure I can pull some rooms together for you both, if you'd like?"

"I'll stay here, if you don't mind, Albus." Remus nodded with a pained smile.

"Of course. Ms Waldo?"

"I... Yes. A room would be wonderful, actually. You can't sleep on these chairs, I've found."

"Right this way, my dear," Albus offered over Remus' not quite sane laughter, which followed them from the ward.

-0-

"Did the Headmaster let you in, then?" Poppy Pomfrey demanded as soon as the door closed behind Lucius.

"Would I say no, even if he hadn't?" Lucius shot back, flipping a long blond lock over one shoulder.

"No, I suppose not." Poppy sighed.

"How is he?" the Malfoy asked, moving over to the chair next to Lysander's bed.

"Getting by."

"Poppy, you have got to be the most informative nurse I've _ever_ met," Lucius replied sarcastically.

"Oh, really." Poppy pursed her lips at the Potions professor, hands on her hips. "Must you be so rude, Professor Malfoy?"

"It's how he lives, Poppy," Lysander whispered with a scratchy voice, surprising both of the room's other occupants. "I thought you knew that."

"By Merlin! Mr Potter, I could have sworn I gave you enough Dreamless Sleep Potion to knock you out for days!"

Lysander's smile was crooked. "I suppose I forgot to tell you that I've been immune to that stuff for decades, then?"

"Leave it to you to forget to mention something about your health." Lucius chuckled over Poppy's indignant cry.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? The last time I had to take it, it helped me learn a few key bits of information."

Poppy scowled. "You, Harry James Potter, have to have been the most _difficult_ patient I've _ever_ had to treat!"

Lysander snorted. "I love you too, Poppy. Really."

"If you're well enough to be making fun of me, I can go back to that third year."

"There's a _student_ hurt and you're worrying about _me_?" Lysander asked, startled. "Out, Poppy! Out!" He made shooing motions with his hands, glaring at the woman.

"Don't you expect _my_ help ever again!" Poppy retorted, smiling, before turning to Lucius with a stern look. "Don't let him overwork himself, Mr Malfoy. And if he needs something, _call me_ , for Merlin's sake!"

"Out!" Lysander shouted.

Poppy spared the emerald-eyed man one last glare before leaving the room.

"The only wizard able to kick Poppy Pomfrey from his beside!" Lucius laughed.

"Practise makes perfect," Lysander replied smugly. "Were you worried about me, Luci?"

Lucius scowled at the other wizard. "No. That's why I'm in here instead of the werewolf."

Lysander rolled his eyes. "Luci, that doesn't work with me. I know you and Rem are best friends, so drop the act."

"This so-called act has saved my life."

"And is unnecessary around me, so drop it before I pull something by punching you."

"Be honest with me, Harry. How are you?" Lucius asked softly.

Lysander sighed, closing his eyes. "Like I've been thrown off my broom from thousands of feet in the air, twice, then run over by a muggle lorry."

"What all did they do to you?" Lucius murmured, running a hand through Lysander's hair gently.

Lysander leaned in to the soothing touch. "Whip, torturing spells, rape, scar..."

"Scar?"

"He knows I'm me." Lysander shrugged. "Was bound to happen sooner or later."

"You're taking this awfully calmly..."

"I don't have the strength to get worked up right now. Contact me again after a nice, long nap."

"Are you tired?"

"Yes... No... I can't sleep, Luci. My mind's spinning too quickly to let me."

"How can I help?"

Lysander opened his eyes to smile up at the grey-eyed man tiredly. "Just keep doing what you're doing now."

"Do you want me to climb into the bed with you?" Lucius asked, cocking an eyebrow suggestively at the younger man.

Lysander's smile brightened. "If you want."

Lucius pulled off his shoes and climbed into the bed, hugging Lysander to his chest. "Alright?" he murmured, stroking his hand through the other's hair again. Lysander merely hummed in agreement and snuggled closer to Lucius, drawing a soft chuckle from the other man.

-0-

Nixie stared out the window of her room unseeingly. _Ha–? Who is Ha? Or what name did Remus almost call Lysander? That's the real question. Ha... Harold? Harris? Harmon? Harry? Wait, Harry... That's Lysander's middle name, right? Yeah… Lysander Harry Evans. Hum..._ " _Accio_ name book." Nixie murmured, waving her wand idly at her bag. A small book flew out and into her hands.

"Let's see... Harry... Harry means... Okay, find, Harold...means 'army commander'... Who'd name their kid _that_?! Uhg..." Nixie rubbed at her eyes. "Lysander, then. Lysander... Lysander... Aha! 'Liberator'? But, that's almost like Harry! Someone wanted a famous kid, or something... What about Evans...? Um, Evan? No, see John... Okay, John... John... 'God's gracious gift'? Well, that's lovely for a muggle, but Lysander's a wizard, unless he's muggleborn...'

Nixie groaned, throwing the name book away from her. "I need to stop analysing people's names. This isn't getting me _anywhere_! Right, a walk would be good right about now..." She stood and hurried from the room, fully intent on walking herself to sleep or to inspiration. _Sleep'll come before inspiration, guarantee. I've been trying to figure out Lysander for_ years _. All I've got are a million new mysteries._

"Lysander Evans, who are you? Why do I have a feeling you're important?"

-0-

Albus stared out his office window sadly. Fawkes landed on his shoulder and he petted the bird warily. "I don't think I'll live to see the end of this war, Fawkes," he murmured. "I know, I know. I've been saying this for so long, you'd think I'd be dead by now, but this time's for real, I'm sure of it..."

Fawkes gave a soft cry and nuzzled Albus' cheek sadly.

"But I already have a will, Fawkes," Dumbledore replied, surprised.

Fawkes gave another cry, flying down to Albus' desk so he could look the wizard in the eye firmly.

"...Of course... But, my old friend, what would he want? Peace, surely."

The phoenix gave three quick trills.

"He's been trying to get away from that since he started here..."

Another trill, firmer this time.

Albus gave the bird a cautious look. "You're sure?"

An affirmative cry.

"Very well. And Ginevra won't mind?"

Annoyance came across in the next cry.

"I've always trusted your word, my friend," Albus replied soothingly as he pulled out a piece of fresh parchment. "Now then, to Harry Potter?"

Another annoyed cry.

"No? No, I suppose not. He's given up that name. Lysander Evans, then."

A sharp trill, given before Albus' quill could touch the paper.

The Headmaster gave Fawkes an odd look. "Since when?"

Fawkes merely gave Albus a superior look.

" _Don't_ tell me, then." Albus smiled, starting to write. "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, being of sound mind and judgement, do hereby state this to be my last will and testament." He glanced up at Fawkes, who gave an impatient sound. "Yes, yes. I do bequeath all of the capital in my Gringotts' vault to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for whatever uses it may find for it. I do bequeath the position of Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as well as whatever belongings of mine remain on said school's grounds, to one Lysander Harry James Evans Malfoy." He glanced back up at the phoenix. "Acceptable?"

Fawkes gave one happy trill and waited until Albus had dried, rolled up, and tied the parchment before taking it and putting it away in the Hogwarts' safe.

Albus smiled tiredly and leaned back in his chair. "You take good care of that boy, Fawkes."

Fawkes gave the Headmaster a sad look and crooned gently.

"No, not a boy... A man... A wise, kind, hurt man..." Albus sighed and closed his eyes. "Do you think I'll be missed, Fawkes?"

The phoenix could only cry.

.


	10. Nine: Don't Tread On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“So be it_   
>  _Threaten no more_   
>  _To secure peace is to prepare for war_   
>  _So be it_   
>  _Settle the score_   
>  _Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore…_   
>  _Don't tread on me"_
> 
> **\- from “Don't Tread On Me” by Metallica**

"Albus?" Ginevra pushed the oak door open slowly and frowned at the sight of the older Headmaster sleeping in his office chair. "Really, Albus. This has to stop." She stalked over to him and had rested a hand on his shoulder to shake him awake before realising he was no longer breathing.

With a sob, Ginevra Malfoy fled from the office.

-0-

"I have some bad news," Ginevra offered to the Great Hall of students, teachers, and the three guests. "And this, I fear, is coming at the worst of times, since, as many of you have heard, Lord Voldemort has returned."

The Hall filled with shouts and cries as the students realised that the rumours had been true.

"Silence!" Lucius shouted to bring the group under control once again. He'd stood next to his daughter-in-law, wondering what other bad new she had to lay upon them all. As the Hall quieted, he sat back down again with a nod.

Ginevra took a deep breath. "Headmaster Dumbledore is dead."

The Hall froze with her words for an eternity before there was a wail from the Hufflepuff Table. Other cries followed and Ginevra let her shaking legs force her back into her seat, setting her face in her hands and crying softly.

Lucius wrapped an arm around the witch, his eyes shooting along the Head Table where other teachers were breaking down in tears. Even Nixie had tears of shock in her eyes.

Lysander stood quietly and came to stand behind Ginevra, settling a hand on her back gently. "His will?"

"I-I d-didn't get it-it," Ginevra hiccupped.

"And we can't call Amelia here to read it anyway, Evans," Lucius hissed sharply. "We're in lock-down."

"I'm aware of that, Malfoy." Lysander scowled at the man, rubbing at his arm, which was bothering him slightly. "Waldo can read it. She has next to no ties here, and she's a government official in America."

"Are you as well?" Lucius asked in a cold voice.

"Would it matter if I was?" The green-eyed wizard cocked an eyebrow at the grey-eyed wizard before sweeping from the Hall out a side door.

-0-

"Where's Lysander going?" Nixie murmured, looking after her partner's back.

"Get Albus' will, I suppose," Remus replied, wiping at his eyes with his napkin. "Although, I don't know who can read it. It's normally the Minister of Magic, but, due to the school's current situation, we can't call her in."

"Do you need _the_ British Minister, or will an American official do?" the young witch had to ask.

"I..." Remus glanced at the woman with a frown. "I have no idea. You'll have to ask Ginevra, I'm afraid," he admitted.

Nixie nodded and snuck over to where Ginevra had dried her tears. "Ginevra?"

The red-haired woman glanced over at the visiting witch. "Nixie, perfect timing. Would you mind reading Albus' will when Ly returns with it?"

Nixie blinked a few times. "That's, uh, what I was going to ask you, actually..."

Lysander stepped back into the Hall, Fawkes clinging to his left shoulder, and walked over to the two women as Ginevra smiled at Nixie. "Good."

Lysander handed a bit of parchment to the American and nodded at her. "Albus' will. Gin, if you could recollect their attention?"

"Why don't you," Ginevra dared, scowling.

Lysander cocked an eyebrow at her before turning to the students, who had moved among their tables and were finding comfort in each other. "Please return to your seats!" he called, using the slightest slip of wandless magic to calm the air of the room. "Once everyone is seated, we will read Professor Dumbledore's will!"

As the students quietly returned to their seats, Lysander turned to smirk at Ginevra. "Cheater," the Deputy Headmistress claimed, smiling sadly. "And you called me Gin, didn't you?"

Lysander shrugged. "Your father yelled some sense into me."

"He was desperately in need of it, too," Lucius offered, smirking at the dark-haired wizard.

"You two are so strange," Nixie offered, leaning on Lysander's free shoulder. "They're quiet, by the way. Whatever you did, Lysander, it's worked."

"Ly's just good with children," Ginevra said fondly, placing a quick kiss on Lysander's cheek before catching the attention of all of the students. "Due to the lock-down, we cannot call Minister Bones in to read the Headmaster's will. As we have an official from America staying with us, Nixie Waldo, we have requested she read it instead." She turned to Nixie formally. "Ms Waldo?"

Nixie nodded and took the place Ginevra had been standing in, untying and unrolling the parchment. "As follows is the will of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore.

" 'I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, being of sound mind and judgement, do hereby state this to be my last will and testament. I do bequeath all of the capital in my Gringotts' vault to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for whatever uses it may find for it. I do bequeath the position of Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as well as whatever belongings of mine remain on said school's grounds, to one Lysander Harry James Evans Malfoy.' "

Nixie turned to stare at Lysander in shock, as did the members of the staff who knew his name. The students looked at him in confusion.

"How did he find out about that?" was all Lysander murmured, referring to his secret marriage to Lucius.

Fawkes let out a trill.

Lysander scowled at the bird. "I hope you like roast turkey."

"Ly, stop," Ginevra scolded, frowning. "Why would Albus make _you_ Headmaster?"

"To prove he trusts him," Neville suggested.

"To tie him down, for once," Lucius added with a cold smile.

"At any rate..." Ginevra grabbed Lysander's right hand and pulled him forward. "Do you, Lysander Harry James Evans Malfoy, agree to serve Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry fairly and firmly until it is your time to pass it on to another?" she intoned.

The room had filled with an oppressive silence and Lysander had to fight for a breath. "I swear it on those who have died for me," he replied in a whisper.

"So it is witnessed, so it shall be," came the reply from the Hogwarts staff, including those who didn't trust Lysander.

A student in the back of the hall, the Head Girl, stood and started clapping. The Head Boy, on the other side of the room, followed her example. Soon, the whole of the school was standing, clapping for their new Headmaster.

"So, the coot finally lost it?" a cold voice called from the Hall's doors. "And died, by the looks of things. Damn."

Students turned to look to the doors, then quickly backed up against the Head Table.

"Riddle!" Lysander vaulted over the Table to get between the students and the Dark Lord. "How in Merlin's name did you get in my school?" he called as the staff, Nixie, and Remus lined up behind him, guarding the students.

"Oh, we don't need all this bloodshed, my friends. I only want one thing," the Dark Lord offered pleasantly as his Death Eaters fanned out behind him. "Well, two..." His eyes locked on to Lucius.

"I don't deal with slime," was Lysander's firm reply.

"Now, now, Harry. That's no way to talk to your elders and betters," the Dark Lord hissed above the gasps from much of his opposition who put the pieces of the puzzle together and figured out who the new Headmaster really was.

"I hardly think slime is better than myself, Tom, unless I've been missing something for all these years," came the sweet reply.

"Hand over Hogwarts, Potter, and I'll let your precious students live."

"What did I tell you last time you asked?"

"Then I'll kill you and take it that way."

Lysander narrowed his eyes. "Ginevra will be the next Head!" he called to the group behind him.

"So it is witnessed, so it shall be!" called the mass of students, staff, and the two guests as Ginevra was pushed back into the group of students by her father-in-law. The students formed a protective circle around the young woman, who was scowling at both of her fathers-in-law.

"Try me, Tom," Lysander suggested softly, crossing his arms over his chest.

The Dark Lord started across the Hall, as did Lysander. The two met in the middle, glaring holes into one another's head.

"You're dying tonight, Potter."

"Then, I will not go down alone, Riddle."

"You don't have your wand."

"I don't need it."

"Very well..." The Dark Lord smiled coldly. "Bow to death, Harry."

Lysander let out a humourless laugh that made those watching on shudder. "You never change, Tom. It's no wonder you always lose."

" _Detegere!_ "

Lysander let out a hiss as his scar appeared on his forehead. "Had to make sure, eh, Tommy-boy?"

The Dark Lord smirked. "I just like seeing my handiwork."

"Ah, yes. The _failed_ handiwork."

" _Cruc_ –"

" _Finite!_ "

The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes as the spell gathering on the end of his wand puffed out. "We're playing this game again, then?"

"Hardly." Lysander brought his hands together grimly as the Dark Lord rose his wand again.

As Lysander shouted " _Mortalis et Corpus Destruere!_ " his opponent cried " _Avada Kedavra!_ "

There was a flash of light and a billow of smoke.

When the smoke cleared, only one wizard remained standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Latin:**  
>  _Mortalis et Corpus Destruere_ \- Soul and Body to Destroy (literally)  
>  _Detegre_ \- Unveil


	11. Epilogue: We Are II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _'What about the world today_   
>  _What about the place that we call home_   
>  _We' ve never been so many_   
>  _And we've never been so alone...so alone'_
> 
> **-from "We Are" by Ana**

_'I once knew a man who was just that: a man. He cried and loved and bled, just like every other man I've ever met. He hated it when someone tried to do something for him, but he'd let them do it "Just this once" every time. His temper was legendary. Any who knew of it feared him, especially when they added in the knowledge that he was so unpredictable, it just wasn't funny._

_'This man's name was once Harry James Potter. He saved our world, was hated for his strength, and turned to the muggle world for anonymity._

_'I knew this man as Lysander James Evans. I knew him as a muggle, a co-worker, and, occasionally, I knew him as a friend._

_'But, above all, I knew this man as a man. Nothing more, nothing less._

_'So, let's set the record straight. Harry Potter was short, lanky, a bastard, had a **hell** of a temper, and was human. Just like me. Just like you._

_'Remember him like that.'_

-0-

Nixie Waldo sat back and smiled at the beginning of her book. The 'first accurate description of him', Headmistress Ginevra had called it when she'd mentioned it in the older witch's last firecall.

Lysander had died that day. That last run-in with Voldemort. He'd been the last man standing. But, after giving them one last smile, he'd crumpled on top of the other wizard.

The Death Eaters may have died with their Lord, but so had the man who'd lived to protect the wizarding world his whole life.

A life of slavery.

Nixie ran a hand through her hair and took a sip of tea before getting back to work.

-0-

_'Let me tell you the truth about Harry Potter. Let me tell you the truth about the man behind the legend._

_'Let me tell you, about Lysander Harry James Evans Malfoy, the Man-Who-Lived.'_

**Author's Note:**

> **Original Closing A/N:**
>
>> I loved writing this fic. It was different for me (not HP/LV, don't you know), and that made it so very special to me and, hopefully, to you as well.
>> 
>> Sadly, however, like most things, this has now ended.
>> 
>> Thank you to everyone, for your support. I can't tell you how much it meant to me.
>> 
>> I hope everyone enjoyed it and continues to do so.
>> 
>> ~Batsutousai


End file.
